To search Boulder Valley's or individual school's TCAP preliminary reading results for 2013, use the form at the bottom of this story.

Boulder Valley's overall third-grade reading scores remain high but largely unchanged, continuing a long-term trend, according to results of the statewide transitional test released today.

Students are expected to take this paper-and-pencil test, which includes items that are common to both the previous Colorado Model Content Standards and the new Colorado Academic Standards approved in 2009, once more next spring. Then, they'll switch to an online test designed to measure new standards.

Boulder Valley's third-grade reading scores — 84 percent proficient or advanced this year — essentially have held steady for eight years. The state average of 73 percent proficient or advanced dropped slightly from last year.

The average in the neighboring St. Vrain Valley School District is 82 percent, up slightly from last year.

The unofficial third-grade reading results are released months before the rest of the scores, which will be made public this summer. Students took the transitional tests, known as TCAP, which replaced the CSAP tests, in the spring.

The state plans to begin introducing shorter, computer-based tests — with a faster turnaround time for results — next school year.

Fourth- and seventh-graders will take the new social studies test in the spring of 2014, while high school seniors will take new social studies and science assessments in the fall of 2014. Fifth-grade and eighth-grade students will take the computer-based science tests in the spring of 2014, while the 10-grade science test will be discontinued.

Starting in the spring of 2015, students in third through 11th grades will take the computer-based versions of the math, reading and writing tests. Reading and writing also will be combined into a single test.

In response to persistently flat reading scores, Boulder Valley's literacy department clarified its goals and standardized literacy interventions across the district this school year. Next up is a “framework” that all elementary teachers will be expected to follow as they teach their students to read, plus a three-year plan to train teachers.

“We're looking at this year as a foundation year,” said Angel Stobaugh, Boulder Valley's literacy director. “We need the time and opportunity to build on it.”

She said she's looking forward to the new online assessments, both because they will measure how well students are meeting the new standards and because results will be available to teachers more quickly. She said the new tests also are expected to include tasks that require students to apply what they've learned.

On this year's third-grade reading test, 5 percent of Boulder Valley students scored unsatisfactory, 10 percent scored partially proficient, 72 percent scored proficient and 12 percent scored advanced — about the same as last year in each category.

Jonathan Dings, Boulder Valley's chief of planning and assessment, said Latino students' scores improved to 58 percent proficient or better, compared to 52 percent last year. Scores of students taking the Spanish version of the test also rose to 76 percent proficient or better, from 63 percent last year.

The only Boulder Valley school with 100 percent of students scoring proficient was Boulder's Bear Creek Elementary. Community Montessori's native English speakers also scored 100 percent. When Community Montessori's second-language students are included, the Boulder school's score is 86 percent.

“We have a pretty diverse school,” said Community Montessori Principal Shannon Minch. “We would rather have a diverse school with diverse learning experiences than high scores.”

Still, she said, teachers were excited that native English students all reached proficient or better, especially given that traditional tests aren't part of the school's curriculum.

Lafayette's Pioneer Elementary, a dual-immersion bilingual school, posted a significant gain on the test, with 94 percent of students scoring proficient or better this year, up from 76 percent last year. On the Spanish version of the test, 90 percent of students scored proficient or better, with 37 percent scoring advanced.

Pioneer Principal Kristin Nelson-Steinhoff said the school's focus is on biliteracy, with teachers working together, using student data, to decide how best to teach students.

“The results really demonstrated that our students are strong in both English and Spanish,” she said.

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